Two former Parramatta Eels players are accused of harbouring semi-automatic weapons and possessing more than half-a-million dollars in cash after dramatic arrests in Sydney's Centennial Park yesterday.

The court ballot reducing reoffending among criminals

An unconventional ballot system is giving drug-addicted criminals a second chance and has been shown to reduce reoffending among those who appear before it.

Parramatta Drug Court, in Sydney's west, looks like any other courtroom across Australia. There is a judge, a team on the front bench and people in trouble with the law.

But instead of legal jargon, judges have a casual chat with the criminal appearing before them.

"It's combining the justice system with a health system, so the court cases are referred to the drug court and then the health system together, with many other agencies working together to actually make some long-term change for offenders," Parramatta Drug Court head judge Roger Dive told A Current Affair.

"I was a little reluctant about it when I came to this jurisdiction, but within a week you realise it is just so important."

Australia's first drug court was established in Parramatta 20 years ago.

Around half of those accepted successfully complete a year-long rehabilitation to be clean from drugs.